Safety raft slip lock



March 16; 1943. J. F. CARESEN I 2,313,802

SAFETY RAFT SLIP-LOCK Filed on. 31, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 16,1943. JIF. CARL-SEN" 4 2 AFE-Tzf RAFT smr LOCK Filed-papal, 1942 2Shqets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fem/v E 6421.55.

Patented Mar. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY RAFT SLIP LOOKJohan Frederik Carlson, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application October 31, 1942,Serial No. 464,022

Claims.

This invention relates to safety raft slip locks which are devices forautomatically releasing safety life rafts from ships in the event oftorpedoing or sinking from other reasons at sea, and specifically itrefers to an improved slip lock which is automatically opened by a floatas soon as the float is submerged in water.

Slip locks of the present type have been known for some time and consistof a pivoted hook or latch which is slipped through an eye and fastenedin such a way that it is only necessary to slip 0d a locking member andthereby releasing the hook or latch. Due to the fact, however, that thislocking member may accidentally come loose a and thereby cause the lossof the life raft at sea,

it is common practice to secure same by means of a seizing which has tobe out 01f before the slip lock can be opened. Recentexperience hasshown, however, that in torpedoings where the shipis liable to sink invery short time the crew usually runs directly for the life boat and noone will take time off to run forward or aft to unloosenthe life rafts.For this reason it had often happened that the life rafts have gone downwith the ship and the boats may have been damaged and sunk therebypreventing the rescue of the members of the crew who had in the ocean.

The object of my present invention, therefore,

is to provide a safety raft slip lock which will automatically releasethe raft when the ship sinks.

Another object of my invention is to provide a slip lock which can beadapted to and fitted over the devices presently available therebymaking the installation simpler and furthering the adaption of this lifesaving device.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device which issimple to manufacture and of low cost and which is safe and effective inoperation.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a life raft having a slip lock in itsclosed position embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same life raft as shown in Figure 1,but in open position,

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the slip lock in closed position,

to jump Figure 4 is an elevation along line 44 in Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a section along line 5--5 in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a section along line 6-6 in Figure 3, and 1 Figure 7 is aside elevation of a slip lock such as used today without my invention.

In the drawings,wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral I ll designates a liferaft or safety raft of the type commonly used on cargo vessels andusually carried in rigging in the fore and aft masts, one on each sideof each mast. The life raft I0 is held against the stays II by means ofthe rope l2 which extends from ring l3 to eye H. The eye [4 connectsrope 12 to link l5. The hook member I6 is pivoted around the lower endof the link [5 and held in its closed position by the slip ring IT. Thehook member I6 is engaged with the chain 18 and this arrangement, asdescribed supra, constitutes the present slip lock as used on mostships, see Figure 7. To prevent the slipping off of the ring 11, aseizing 39 is placed around link I5 above the ring I1 and this seizinghas to be cutor unraveled to permit the opening of the latch member l6,

My improved device, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, consists ofa double latch I9 which is pivoted on bolt 20 and heldtogether at oneend by bolt 2!. The bolt 20 is welded to a clamp member 22 which isfastened to link l5 by means of clamp 23 and bolt 24. The latch membersill have a hook 25 at one end which fit over ring l1 thereby eifectivelylocking same in place. The clamp members 22 and 23 may be adjustedupward or downward on link 25 thereby placing the members IS in the mostsuitable position locking ring I1, see Figure 3.

The latch members I 9 are preferably made from sheet metal and are benttogether at one end and held in place by bolt 2| so as to form a leverpivoted on bolt 20, see Figure 5. Pivoted on bolt 2| and placed in aposition between the two latch members I9 is a lever 26 which on one endcarries a knife edge 21 and which has a rope 28 attached to its otherend. The lever 26 also has stop pins 29 and 30 which will limit itsrotation by striking agalinst latch members IS. The rope 28 is connectedwith one end to float 3| which is preferably supported in a suitablemanner on top of the life raft Ill. The support of float 3| is arrangedso that it is free .to float up if submerged in water.

The chain l8 may be fastened to the deck 32 or to the rail 33 and it isobvious that this methd of fastening can be arranged in many differentways. It is also obvious that the principle of the float-operated latch,as illustrated by members I9, lever 26, rope 28 and float 3|, is subjectto many variations in various applications of this principle. I do notwish to be limited to the exact form or shape disclosed in the drawings.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Assuming that the old. typeslip lock is present, as illustrated in Figure 7, my new device isfitted on same by fastening clamps 22 and 23 on link I by means of bolt24 and adjusted to a position Where the hooks 25 will retain the ring Hin a suitable position when the latch members. l9 are in the extremedownward position, as indi link, a slip ring locking said hook to saidlink, and float operated latching means whereby said slip ring may beautomatically moved out of engagement with said hook thereby releasingsame.

2. A safety raft slip lock of the character described, comprising anelongated link; a hook member hinged'to said link, a slip ring slidableon said link whereby said hook member may be locked in its closedposition and float operated latch member adjustably fastened to saidlink, whereby said slip ring may be automatically moved out ofengagement with said hook thereby releasing same.

cated in Figure 3. To secure the latch members IS in the locked positionand prevent accidental opening of the same and loss of the life raft, aseizing 3A is placed around the members l.9 .and the hook I5. Thisseizing 34 is preferably made with manila. yarn or twine and. is pulled.tight so'that the knife edge 21 will easily cut same when the rope 28pulls lever 26. upward. When an emergency arises, the float 3| willfloat up andgive a sudden pull on ropev 28 which for that reason has aslack, as indicated in Figure 1. This sudden pull will cut off theseizing 34 and thereby free the latch members H1 and simul taneouslylever 25 has been pulled upward until; stop 38 hits member 19. Thelever2 6 and members [=9 will now form one lever with fulcrum on bolt and thepull of rope 23wil1 move this lever upward, thereby swinging hook outof. engagement with ring I1 and the curved cam surface lBa willpush ringI! upward until the,

hook member i5- is: released; Thechain I3 will then drop off, asindicated in Figure 2, and rope I2 is released, thereby releasing the,life raft, l0;

without any attention or special action of the scribed; comprising alink, a hook hinged on said 3. A safety raft slip lock of the characterdescribed, comprising an elongated link; a hook member hinged at one endto said link, a slip ring slidable over said link whereby said hook maybe locked in its'closed position; a latch member adjustably fastened tosaid elongated link, said latch member having a hook at one end fittingover said slip ring and a curved cam surface. adjacent to said hook; alever pivoted at one end: of said latch, member, said lever having aknife edge on one end and; being, fastened with its, other: end; to afloat whereby said float may operate said lever and said latch membersthereby releasing said hook.

4,. A safety raft slip lock of the character described, comprising anelongated link, a hook member hinged at the lower end of said link; aslip ring slidable over said link whereby said hook member may be lockedin its closed position; a pair of latch members adjustably fastened tosaid link, said latch members having a hook at one end fittingover saidslip ring and curved cam surface adjacent to same; a lever pivoted at;the other end of said latch member, said lever having a knife edge onone end and stop pins engageable with said latch members, and a floatattached to the other end of said lever whereby same maybe operatedthereby opening the slip lock. Y r v v 5. A- safety raft slip lock of.the character described, comprising an elongated link; a hook memberhinged to said link, a locking ring slidable on: said link wherebysaid-hookmay be held: in its closed position and float operated latchingmeans whereby a seizing may be automatically cut andsaid locking ringmoved out of engagement; with said hook thereby-opening same.

JOHAN F REDERIK CARLSEN';

